Machine for setting up bottle cartons



Feb. 12, 1957 H. G/GENTRY MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS 18 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. l1, 1953 INVENTOR.

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE cARToNs Filed Aug. 11. 1953 V18 sheets-sheet e-.

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MACHINE FOR SETTING up BOTTLE cARToNs Filed Aug. 11, 195s 18 sheets-snee; e

Feb. 12, 1957 H. G. @ENTRY MACHTNE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARToNs 18 .sheets-sheet 1p Filed Aug. 1l, 1953 .154 zoz 2oz 156 INVENTOR. #fR/MND 6. GflVRY Feb. 12, 1957 H. G. GENTRY MACHINEFOR SETTING UP BOTTLECARTONS 18 Sheets-Sheet 1l Filed Aug. 11, 1953 Arrokmsns Feb. 12, 1957 H. G. @ENTRY MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE cARToNs 18 Sheets-Sheet 12 Eile@ Aug. 11, 1953 INVENTOR. #iR/"WDG GE/YTRY @wat E 76%@ Feb. 12, 1957 H. G GENTRY 2,730,970

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS 18 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Aug. 11, 1953 INVENTOR.

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS Filed Aug. l1, 1953 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 l l l l l, I

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Feb. 12, 1957 H. G. GENTRY MACHINE: FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE: cARToNs Filed Aug. 1l, 1953 18 SheetsK-Sheet 16 INVE'NTOR.k

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS Filed Aug. 11, 1953 18 Sheets-Sheet 18 Fig '26' faQ/14,6% e.

A TTQRNEKS United States Patent MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTGNS Hermond G. Gentry, Atlanta, Ga., assigner to Atlanta Paper Company, a corporation of Georgia Application August 11, 1953, Serial No. 373,476

15 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) This invention relates in general to carton set up machinas, and more particularly to a machine by which collapsible bottle cartons of the type used for carrying bottled soft drinks and the like may be lset up automatically in an exceptionally effective and rapid manner to prepare them for loading with bottles.

The machine of the present invention is adapted to hold an unusually large stacked supply of the collapsed bottle cartons to be set up, to feed the bottle cartons successively from this stacked supply to a set-up station, and to erect the bottle cartons at this set-up station with a disposition such that the next succeeding collapsed bottle carton fed to the set-up station acts to discharge the bottle carton previously set up. ln addition, the machine is arranged so that the various operating elements thereof are actuated from a common driving shaft; and is provided with control means by which intermittent or continuous operation may be obtained selectively, as desired, and by which improper feeding action is detected to stop the setting up operation until normal feeding is reestablished.

These and other features of the present invention are described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of a bottle carton set-up machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear side elevation as seen from the left in Fig. 1, with the cover panels removed and with only the basic actuating means shown arranged in place;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary left end elevation corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation opposite to that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a collapsed bottle carton such as may be set up by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bottle carton shown in Fig. 6 after erection;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the erect bottle cari ton shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the hopper structure from the open face side thereof;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail in plan taken substantially at the line itl-10 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a further sectional detail in plan taken substantially at the line 11--11 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a further fragmentary side elevation taken from the same viewpoint as Fig. 4, but shown in section and with only the actuating linkages for the feed means illustrated;

Fig. 13 is a plan view corresponding generally to Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a separated detail corresponding generally to Fig. 12, but illustrating only the actuating linkage for i driving the hopper pusher fingers; h

Fig. 15 is a further separated detail also corresponding 2,780,970 Patented Feb. l2, 1957 advances the collapsed bottle cartons in position for set-v ting up;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation showing the supporting structure of the carton set-up means; Y

Fig. 17 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 17-17 in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a generally corresponding fragmentary front face detail showing-the arrangement of the set-up section system and control therefor;

Fic. i9 is a further fragmentary detail, taken from a view point opposite that of Fig. 17, and showing the mechanical actuating linkage for the set-up means;

Fig. 2O is a fragmentary side elevation takenfrom the same View point as Fig. 4, but illustrating only the early stage of the bottle carton set-up operation;

Fig. 21 is a similar fragmentary side elevation illustrating the bottle carton end and bottom lock actuating means, and showing the iinal stage of the set-up operation;

Fig. 22 is a plan detail of the bottle carton end lock lever taken substantially from the position 22-22 in Fig. 2l;

Fig. 23 is a side elevation detail of the bottle carton bottom lock lever taken substantially from theV position 23-23 in Fig. 2l;

Fig. 24 is a further similar fragmentary side elevation illustrating the manner in which the erected bottle cartons are pushed clear of the set-up position by the succeeding collapsed bottle carton;

Fig. 25 is a schematic electrical diagram illustrated'in relation to a still further similar fragmentary side elevation, and showing part of the operating control system for the machine of the present invention; and

Fig. 26 is a schematic electrical diagram showing the remainder of the operating control system.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a machine embodying the present invention in which a supporting frame structure is designated generally by the reference numeral 10; a hopper structure at 100 for containing a supply of collapsed bottle cartons 50 to be set up; feed means at 290 for advancing the collapsed bottle cartons 50 serially from the hopper 100 for setting up; and a set-up mechanism at 300 for manipulating the collapsed cartons 50 so that they are delivered from the machine in erect position as shown at 50 in Fig. 1.

The frame structure 10, as seen in Fig. 1, is suitably fitted with side closure panels 12, and may be mounted on casters 14 to render the machine of the present invention mobile and thereby easily moved and positioned to the best advantage in relation to other equipment or operating stations at which it is to be used.

The arrangement of the frame structure 10 and operating elements supported thereon is further illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, in which a main drive motor 16 and associated gear reducer 1S are shown mounted adjacent the base of the frame structure 1i), the gear reducer 18 being fixed in place and the drive motor 16 being slidable in guide ways 20 from a lead screw adjusting hand wheel 22 by which the drive connection 24 from the motor pulley 26 to the gear reducer sheave 28 may be kept tight.

The sheave 28 is coupled to the input shaft of gear reducer 1S through an electric clutch as indicated at 30, which may be of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. l2,606,638, for example, and which allows the drive motor 16 to run continuously while providing for selective intermittent or continuous operation of the machine as is described further below.

First and second drive sprockets 32 and v34 are arsfrenato ranged at the gear reducer 1S for driving a countershaft 36 and a main cross shaft 38, respectively, through sprocket chain connections 40 and 42. The Erst drive sprocket 32 is coupled by the electric clutch 3d for driving directly from the Ygear reducerfinput sheave 2, while the second drive sprocket 34 is mounted on the output shaft of the gear reducer 1S.

. Upwardly of the frame Vstructure 10 an auxiliary drive motor 44 is mounted together with a vacuum pump 46 that is coupledY thereto. This motor and vacuum pump 46, and the main drive motor 16 and related drive connections described, comprise the means by which operationof the bottle carton set up machine ofthe present invention is actuated. Y

Theform of bottle carton 50 set up by the machine of the present invention is shown in Figs. 6 to 8, as being of the paperboard type commonly employed for carrying bottles, and which is collapsible to a flat condition for shipping or storing when not in use, but which may be folded to an erect condition (as at 50') for lling with bottles to be carried. For this purpose, the bottle carton 50 is suitably formed with a central partition and handle portion 52, having a hand hold aperture d therein; opposed pairsof end wall panels 56 and 53 foldably joined at each end of the handle portion 52; opposed side wall panels 60 and 62 foldably joined between the outer edges of the end wall panel pairs 56 and 5S; intermediate transverse partition panels 64 and 66 foldably joined to and extending respectively between the handle portion 52 and the opposed side wallpanels 66 and 62 to form bottle compartments Vat each side of the handle portion 52; and a medially foldable bottom wall panel 68 foldably .joined and extending between the lower edges of the side wall panels 60 and 62 to support a bottle load in the carton 50, they central partition and handle portionV 52 being formed at its'lower edge with a bottom wall locking notch 70 for engaging an end of the bottom wall l panel 68 so that the carton 50 is locked in erect position j (see Fig. 8).y

The detas of the hopper structure 100, in which the structure at front and rear mounting blocks 110 and 110', and that has right and left slide plates 112 and 1A, and a front slide plate 116, arranged on the toppfaee thereof in relation to a central opening at 118 in the bottom plate 103 for a purpose that will be explained pres ently in describing the arrangement Vand operation of the feed means 200. i

' Torsupport the front side plate 106, uprights 12@ are secured on the bottom plateV 10S by brackets 122,V and have cross bars 124 extending therebetween to which the front plate 166 is fastened as at 126, with the bottom edge thereof spaced above the front slide plate 116 'properlyto provide a feed opening for one collapsed Y bottle carton S0 from the bottom of a stack thereof in the hopper 100. The side'plartes 102 Yand 1M- are supported from hold down bars 128 and 139, which are arranged for lateral adjustment at any one Vof several latrelation to the right side plate assembly bars 134 but have elongated slots as at 13g for lateral adjustment withY respect to Vthe left side plate assembly'bars '136,' in arrangngfthe lateral spacing of the side plates 102i and are `attached in fixedV 104 for different size bottle cartons 50 as previously mentioned.

culty is encountered in providing for stripping or feeding the cartons 50 serially from the bottom of the stack with uniform ease. Also, the collapsed bottle cartons 50 are thinner'at their bottom wall 66 than throughout the rest of their structure so that they do not form a stable stack of any size. In addition, the bottle cartons 50, beingy formed of paperboard, become bent or warped ratherV easily, which often makes it difficult to maintain'thern in alignment with a feed opening. Y y Y Provision is made according to the present invention for eliminating each of these diliculties. To counteract the excessive weight of a stack of `the bottle cartons 50 1 in the hopper 160, the hopper side plates 1412 and 104 are fitted in alternately Vspaced relation with stepbars (see Figs. 9 and 1G) that cause the staclt of bottle cartons 50 `to feed downwardly in a zig-zag fashion, with the result that the weight of the bottle'carton stack is largely supported by thesestep bars 140, leaving a bottom group of bottle cartonsV 50 in the stack unhampered by this weight in feeding from the hopper 112'0.

Also, the step bars 140 tend to maintain thebottle cartons 50 level in the unstable stack within the hopper 16%?, and to provide further means for managing this Y unstable bottle carton stack, the hopper 100 is also provided with a rear guide rod 142 positioned adjacent the rear edge of left side plate 104 by upper and lower clamp bars 144 and 146 adjustably secured, respectively, on a bracket bar 148 near the upper end of side plate 1424. and on the 'left slide plate 114 at the topface of bottom plate 108. By virtue of this arrangement, the

guide rod 142 is disposable just inside of'alignmentY with Y the ie'ft side plate 104 (compare Figs. 9, 10 and l1) to stand behind the adjacent rear corner portion of the lstacked bottle cartons 50, and thereby prevent any possibility of the stack tipping outwardly through the open face of the hopper 160, while still allowing the bottle cartons 50 tobe easily stacked therein.

At the bottom of the hopper 100, a rear Vguide bracket` 150 extends upwardly (compare Figs. ll, V12 and 13) in opposed relation to the front plate 106, so that the bottle cartons 50 are guided forwardly and positively positioned in relation to the front plate 106'as they reach the bottom of hopper 100. This rear guide bracket 150 is mounted 011Y a central support bar 152, which together with right and left support bars 154 and 156, extend forwardly and downwardly from across elevation Ybar 158 'xed on ltop of the right andleft slide plates 112V and 114i' tle cartons 50 being fed. Reference is made to copending application SerialV No, 597,711 filed July 13, 1956, which claims the above describedhopper structure.

YVThe arrangement andmanner of operation of the feed means 200 by theV stacked `bottle cartons 50 are fed yfrom -thejhopper 100 and advanced for setting up in illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15. To strip the bottlecartons 50 serially from'the bottom of vhopper 100, a' pair of pusher ngers 202 are arranged'rin spacedY relation be'- Y tween the carton support bars 152, 154'a'nd 156 at the bottom of hopper 100. These pusher lingers 202 are mountedY on spring'arms 204 that Ybias them upwardly First, the weight of a fullstack of bottle Y cartons Si? the hopper 1410 is substantial so that dif-V 

